Daedelus
Daedelus
Made by: @Meowkewok
Repository link: https://github.com/meowkewok/Daedelus
Total hours so far: 42.5
- I have a 3D printer or will be getting one before March 21st
Daedelus was a Greek inventor, builder, and tinkerer, hence the name.
I started this project with a coreXY design, but I flew too high, hence the name/designation Daedelus (Icharus) for the first variant.
Link to CAD:
New Design Goals:
- $400 (USD) (to buy all parts new, w/o shipping or tax)
- 310mm3 Build Volume
- Cartesian Bedslinger
- Cool design
- Touchscreen UI
-
Klipper w/ RPi?
BOM
I just decided to make a spreadsheet using Google Sheets, it was easier. LINK: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hZlX8M_wxNlEcmAArnw9ARre6T5sTla1MoFUZHyh3DU/edit?usp=sharing
Log
| Date | Task | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/21/2025 | Set up Repo, ideas, design goals, began BOM, began CAD | 4 Hours | Thanks to my brain for finally deciding what to make |
| 2/23/2025 | CAD, Research | 3 hours | |
| 2/26/2025 | Bit more BOM | 30 mins | Buying cheap parts from China |
| 2/27/2025 | Bit more BOM, some research | 1 Hour | |
| 2/28/2025 | Tons of CAD! | 3 Hours | Finished the XY gantry!, started Z axis/frame |
| 3/6/2025 | More CAD! Also made a belt routing pic | 2 Hour | Worked on frame |
| 3/10/2025 | BOM | 1.5 Hours | Got it down a tad, have more to do… |
| 3/15/2025 | CAD, Research, BOM | 1.5 Hours | Started Redesign |
| 3/16/2025 | CAD, BOM | 3 Hours | Finished XY axis |
| 3/17/2025 | BOM, CAD | 2.5 Hours | Started toolhead mount |
| 3/25/2025 | CAD | 1 Hour | almost done! |
| 3/26/2025 | CAD | 30 mins | |
| 3/27/2025 | CAD, Logo | 2 Hours | Yay logo, also almost done again! |
| 3/30/2025 | CAD, BOM | 2 Hours | I think im done! |
| 4/3/2025 | CAD, Fixing Journal | 1 Hour | |
| 4/5/2025 | CAD, Fixing Journal | 1 Hour | |
| 4/6/2025 | CAD | 2 Hours | Made a toolhead swapper? |
| 4/15-18/2025 | Ordering parts | 5 hours | i hate amazon so much |
| 4/21/2025 | Got parts, started assembling | 4 Hours | YAY PARTS |
| 4/22/2025 | CAD, Assembly | 1 Hour | yay screws |
| 4/23/2025 | CAD, Assembly | 1 hour | made the XY axis |
| 5/4/2025 | CAD, Assembly | 3 hours | I found a problems |
| 5/6/2025 | Assembling | 1 Hour | good progress |
Detailed Log
3/6/2025
Last time I was working, I finished the Z-Axis, however, I still need a frame…
I decided to make the Z axis linear rails and lead screws mirrored, so that the Z axis could be more rigid (not sure if this’l actually help or make it worse, but ChatGPT thought it was a good idea so yea)
Need to take a break, but here is progress (after 1 hour):
I added some 2020 in an H on both the top and bottom, to help with overall stability and structure.
Here is the belt routing pic (ik its a bit wonky):
Not sure if the wonkiness is going to be much of an issue, but I think it may be because the belts are not going in a straight line. I’ll see if I can fix it later ig.
3/10/2025
I get my cast off tomorrow!
I realized that my BOM needs to be cut down, so I started work on that (mostly by trying to find cheaper versions of the parts I am using). OG: ~375, Now: N/A (see next day for why)
3/15/2025
I made a realization that a coreXY just costs too much for this… (and it looks horrible)
Making new goals, and hopefully this time it will work out, and maybe I can make Daedelus (Icharus) in the future. I simply flew too high.
Started work on the CAD for it, looking real good so far, maybe even better than Icharus! I also started working on the BOM for this one, which hopefully will end better than last time.
3/16/2025
Kept working, here is progress so far:
Continued working on the BOM, and already it is sooo much cheaper!
This printer is going to use a Klicky, because I looked at the options on aliexpress, and I had been recommended not to use 3dTouch levelers, but real BLtouch levelers cost waaay to much, and the Klicky I chose was only ~$5!
Using GT2 6mm belts because that seems to be the industry standard, along with T8x8 lead screws. I also am using an anti-backlash nut to hopefully make the Z axis more exact.
Side note- why are 3d printers height Z and not Y? it doesnt really make sense…
3/27/2025
Did more CAD and made a logo.
I think this logo looks pretty cool, so another check towards that design goal! I think I am going to put it on the printhead, and maybe on a front plate.
3/30/2025
I think this CAD model is done!
Going to try to finish the BOM and submit it today!
As part of my “looking cool” goal, I added some braces that really tie the design in better.
4/3/2025
I wanted to explain some of the way this printer ended up how it is now. I started by designing a coreXY, and I even finished the CAD, but I realized that there was no chance it would be anywhere near $300, and I didn’t really want to spend much of my own money. After a lot of thought, I decided that a way to make it more in-budget would be to redesign it with cheaper parts and as a cartesian, since it would use less parts. The goal for the coreXY was to have a hand-swappable toolhead, but I realized I may not have the budget to even do that on the cartesian. What I am thinking of doing now is designing the swappable toolhead as a “mod” so that I can get the extra $20 to make it (and possibly add a 4th axis?). This whole project is a huge upgrade to what I have now, because I have a printer with 100mm3 of print volume… I do however have access to a bunch of Prusa minis and MK3s at school to print parts on. I wanted to use linear rails because I want this to be as rigid as possible, for if I make a swappable toolhead.
Since one of my goals was to make it look cool, I updated the design of the fan shroud. I also made different parts different colors.
Another edit I had to make was moving the fan duct around a little bit, since in its original position it would interfere with the print.
I also want to mention that I decided to use a Sherpa Mini as the extruder. This is because I wanted to have a direct drive extruder for possible TPU/Flexibles use. I chose a V6 hotend because they are cheap and pretty readily avaliable. I am using the BTT SKR mini because Daedelus only needs 4 motors, and it fits pretty well into the budget. I am going to scrounge a PSU, because it costs quite a bit to buy straight out.
4/5/2025
I started today working on a CAD prototype of the Hotswap mechanism. I wanted it to be hand operated, not done by the printer itself, because it allows the mechanism to be much simpler. I think this is what I am going to use the PCB for, since I need a way of transferring power and data to the printer without directly connecting to each hotend, so that I could have multiple hotend/extruder combos without having to unplug/replug wires or get a bigger control board. The design is heavily influenced by the WhamBam Mutant. (check it out, it is pretty cool, here is an article about it: https://toms3d.org/2021/01/21/whambam-mutant-a-quick-change-toolhead-upgrade-for-any-3d-printer-not-on-kickstarter/
Using a TFT-35 from BTT because I really have some strange affinity for touchscreen items, so why not include one in my printer! I was considering using a RPi running KlipperScreen, but I think that even just marlin firmware may be enough. I do have a pi at home, so I may add that functionality later, but I have it set aside for another possible project I hope to make soon.
4/6/2025
Worked on a toolhead swapper, it is kinda hard to see on the main model, so here is a pic of just the toolswapper. (each part is a different color for ease of vision)
As I mentioned yesterday, it is based on the WhamBam Mutant. To remove the toolhead, all you do is pull the lever, which will force the toolhead off.
4/21/2025
Got my parts WOO
!
OLD DESIGN INFO (Icharus)
(OG) Design goals:
- CoreXY
- 300 x 300 x 250 (at least) mm Build area
- Swappable toolhead (maybe magnets?)
- Very rigid
- Under $500
- Looks cool
(OG) BOM
BOM Total: ~$375 (needs to be cut down)
(OG) Ideas for Attachments:
- 3d Extruder (obviously)
- Dremel/CNC head
- 4-Axis attachment - adds a 4th axis which can be attached to by various toolheads
- Laser (DANGER!)
- Pen plotter
Credits:
Thank you to:
- Rabbi Hametz (RTH) for letting me use school printers and stuff
- Ryan Rich for giving me random ender 3 parts
Fun stories:
- This printer is being designed with a broken finger (at the beginning at least. Its healed now!)
- Realized I had to redesign the printer half way through since I would never be able to make it affordable enough.